Cherish
by chiaki-taka
Summary: During the absense of Naruto, his two teachers learn to appreciate each other, and learn what it feels to be in love. Shounenai. KakaIru.
1. The Beginning

Summary: During the absense of Naruto, his two teachers learn to appreciate each other, and learn what it feels to be in love. Shounen-ai. Kakashi/Iruka.

Hullo there. This is my first attempt at writing fics... And I don't know whether I'm any good or not since I haven't written anything for far too long and just to add another story to my favourite pairing, Kakashi and Iruka. They're just too cute... And if you don't like shounen-ai or any kind of boy love, please, don't waste your time flaming or something. Umm, there will be no lemon, coz I dunno how to write that and this will be.. fluffy?

I'll feature some other pairings also, but the main pairing is KakaIru.

Un-Beta-ed. I dunno if I need one...

Nee, enjoy the story!

"blabla" - talking 'blabla' - thoughts xxxxxxxx - scene break

Disclaimer: Don't own.. sadly... If not, I'll have Lee hidden in my room.

Chapter 1 - The Beginning

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The young chuunin looked at the report and back to the person who handed it in. He sighed quietly, scratching the bridge of his nose as the jounin started reading his book. 'That damn peverted book, and damn jounin too.. You no-good bastard...' Iruka thought.

"Kakashi-san, you do realize that this mission report is 5 weeks late?" He asked calmly, not letting his inner self come out and just strangle the man in front of him with his bare hands. "Hmm?" Kakashi replied. The vein in Iruka's temple was threatening to burst.

"With all do respect, Kakashi-san, if you keep doing this, you're not making my job easier you know. And I always have to make up excuses for Hokage-sama if she asks me why the paperwork I did are always not enough."

"Maa maa, Iruka-sensei, surely I didn't mean to hand them a bit late. I just had the time to finish and hand it over today since I had, ah, too much free time.. lately" Kakashi answered, his only seen eye arching up, indicating he was smiling. But Iruka wasn't.

Iruka knew too well that Kakashi was referring to that fact that Team 7 just got disabanded. This brought a sad feature to Iruka's face.

'I wonder how Naruto is doing now... Is he allright, travelling with Jiraiya... I mean, that man is a pervert despite the sannin recognition and Naruto could be affected and be more of a pervert than he was and...'

"Helloo? Iruka... Are you there?" Kakashi said, waving his fingers in front of the dolphin chuunin.

"Ah! Oh! Sorry... just got a bit... umm... something..." Iruka answered with a smile and a blush, embarrased that he spaced out in front of Kakashi. "Well, thanks anyways for handing this in, and I'll guess I'll see you later then." he said with a forced sweet smile.

"Hmm... Ja, ne..." Kakashi said before poofing out from the mission room.

"Haaaaaaa..." Iruka slumped on his seat. 'More work... whoohoo...'

"Heh, Kakashi's late report again, Iruka-san?" asked Genma interestedly, chewing a senbon in his mouth. "Hah, like you do know him, I swear, if he ever do that again, I'm so damned sure that I'll get fired." Iruka said with a scowl on his face.

"My lovely Umino Iruka-sensei! The once teacher of my beloved students, how are you today? I'm sure youth still haven't escaped you today because you look radiant and as charming as ever!"

Iruka sweatdropped. "Ohayo, Gai-san. I believe you are fine?"

"Yes, of course! The youthness is smiling down on me today and blessed me with a wonderful sight such as an angel as you! Or as Neji would say it, it was fate that I have been blessed to see such sight! Ah, how great the flaming youthness feels like!"

Iruka was too nice to laugh at his words. "Ah, well, may I help you today Gai-san?"

"Ah! Always so sweet and polite you are Iruka-sensei! I was just wondering if my eternal rival Kakashi took up a mission today. I certainly won't lose to him as we are rivals to the end of our lives!" Gai said, striking a pose and gave Iruka a thumbs up, teeth glistening in the light.

"Well, not today, he didn't. He just handed in a report. ('and a very late one, too boot' Inner Iruka snarled) I'm sure he's enjoying some free time since, well, you know..." the shy chuunin said, ending with an obviously forced smile at the end of his sentence.

"Ah! Such perilous sight! Sadness really doesn't suit your face, sensei! We should embrace life! Yes! And be merry that we are still in this lovely world!" Gai said vigorously. "Well, I better set off now, as I promised Lee to accompany him on a 500 lap run around Konoha! We shall meet again, my lovely youthful sensei!"

And Gai went along his merry way. Iruka buried his face under his arms and let out a muffled scream.

"I swear to god if talking to jounins are always this tiring, or hearing them like that again, I'm gonna jump off the Hokage monument!"

"Haa, Iruka-san, it's not that bad... at least we know that Gai probably has a crush on you." Genma said teasingly with a smile, senbon on the left side of his mouth.

Upon hearing what Genma said, Iruka felt like crying. To him, taking care of snotty 5 year olds are a lot better than having to handle with the anitics of Konoha's elite jounins. His life is starting to take another bumpy road again.

'I need a hug...'

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'Saturday. No school today. No kids yelling and trying to kill me in class. No papers to grade. No duty. No missions. No crazy jounins... Nothing today...'

Iruka rolled on his bed. Still sleepy eyed, he looked at the ceiling. "What am I gonna do today... A free day... and tomorrow too..."

It was raining in Konoha, which was a good thing, since then hadn't had rain since a few weeks ago. He got up and took a hot shower, reluctantly, missing the warmth of his comfy bed.

"Breakfast, breakfast... what shall I have today..."

The sight that greeted Iruka in the cupboard was a cup of instant miso ramen.

"Ha... Shopping it is..."

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With an umbrella in one hand and groceries in the other, Iruka made his way back to his apartment. It was almost noon, and breakfast was long forgotten. Random thoughts assaulted his head and before he realized it, he had taken a wrong route.

'Then on Monday should've been another quiz, but the kids wanted to have weapon training... and... Eh? Where am I?'

Iruka ended up at the memorial stone. 'Hoookayy... I'm wayy too lost... Eh? Who's that?'

A dark figure was standing in the rain, in front of the memorial. The figure was hunched and from the looks of it, was soaking wet to the bone, and his dark grey ('Silver?') hair limp.

"Kakashi-san?"

The figure turned around. It was Kakashi. But something was off. His eyes... It looked as if he's lost... and hurt, not the usual upwards curve that was usually misleading.

"Kakashi-san? Daijoubu ka?" Iruka asked, nearing the wet figure.

"Hai, Iruka-sensei, daijoubu desu..."

"You should get back home, you're all wet, or you could warm up at my place and..."

"Shh..." Kakashi said, placing a cold finger on Iruka's lips, silencing the chuunin and made him blush. "The world is crying... can you hear it? It's crying for all of us, because we hide too much of our sadness and lock them inside our hearts. It's crying for us because we are too proud to show emotions as a shinobi. It's crying to remind us that shinobi's are human, and I too, am reminded I am human..." he said, his thumb caressing Iruka's blushing cheeks.

The scarecrow walked off, and turned, "You know, you shouldn't worry much about Naruto, sensei... You look bad with a frown on your face."

Then he poofed into thin air, leaving a blushing Iruka.

His hand came at his right cheek, "How did he know?"

Oblivious to anyone, the rain in Konoha was growing something between two shinobis.

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Iruka-dolphin Kakashi-scarecrow Sensei-teacher Daijoubu ka?-are you allright?  
Ja ne-see you later Ohayo -good morning

Writing Gai was harder than I thought. Heehee... But I hope it's not too OOC. I shall commit seppuku they are... Haa... Review no jutsu! Onegaiiii

TBC 


	2. Invitation

Summary: During the absense of Naruto, his two teachers learn to appreciate each other, and learn what it feels to be in love. Shounen-ai. Kakashi/Iruka. 

Yay! Chapter Two! First of all, I would like to thank all the people who put this story on alert and faved it, it's an honour! And to snow887, thank you for your review! I was so happy when I checked, sankyu minna san!

Just something to tell, I haven't set a real storyline for this story.. And I don't know if I will, but I guess I'll just keep writing what comes to mind... And I already finished Chapter 3 in notes and starting on chapter 4. What I want to warn is that this story will get very twisted and weird and stuff. Yeah. Umm.. Very rollercoaster-like. And cliche-ish.

Pairings: KakaIru, AsuKure (in this chapter)

Un-Beta-ed.

"blabla" - talking 'blabla' - thoughts xxxxxxxx - scene break

Disclaimer: Don't own. If I do, I shall make Kakashi confess his love to Iruka.

Chapter 2 - Invitation

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His walk back home after his run in with Kakashi was in a blur. Iruka, looking dazed, opened the door to his empty apartment. The rain was still falling outside. Despite having an umbrella, Iruka was soaking wet. He didn't used it after...

'Silly me... Just a simple gesture and I'm all like putty... But his words.. were... very... oddly, coming from him.. it was kinda true...'

Preventing from wetting his floor, he dried himself up and took a warm shower just to prevent from catching a cold. He stripped out from his clothes and put them in the washer, fastening a towel around his waist. He went into the bathroom and turn the taps on. Deciding the water was warm enough, he stood under the warm splash of water onto his body.

For most parts of his life growing up was spent alone, but Iruka had always taken good care of himself. Sure he was a prankster, but inside he's just a lost soul, begging for attention, having lost his only source of affection at a young age. He held up his iron-cast image on the outside so well, he still hold it up today. Not many people know that he gets very lonely at times. So lonely, it depresses him.

He was similar to Naruto in many ways, and it was the reason why he was determined to change Naruto's life to not end up like his. He couldn't bear to see Naruto wearing a mask like him, lying to himself of what he really feels and who he is inside. The bundle of energy had always enlighted Iruka's life, giving him something to care about.

It was like being a father.

But Naruto was not around anymore, not for probably a few more years.

Iruka stood under the shower, letting the water take away his confusion and loneliness. He ran his finger through his hair, feeling his own wet strands of hair and massaging his scalp. He couldn't focus for some reason and was troubled. His thoughs now seems to end up at a certain jounin.

'Man... It's like I'm infatuated by him or something... AND HE'S A GUY TOO! I'm even thinking about him in the shower... NOT in a bad way but.. why... it's not like he's that special... to think of it.. we're total opposites... but I guess... there's a lot more to you Kakashi-san...'

Kakashi is a mystery and Iruka was going to find out.

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"Hey babe, how are ya today?"

"Don't you 'hey babe' me Asuma! Where were you last night huh?"

"Something came up last night... and I couldn't get out of it. But I swear I didn't..."

"Spare the lies Asuma! I know you forgot and fell asleep, again!"

"You know, for 'the Most Loving Couple in Konoha' you guys sure do bicker a lot, eh?" Kakashi commented, putting a pause to Asuma and Kurenai's little fight.

"You stay out of this Kakashi!" Kurenai warned, giving the chirpy masked jounin a scary glare, especially with those red eyes.

"Ara ara.. No need to get mad at me, it's him you're mad at. You know, why don't you two get a room and make up or something"

"KAKASHIII!"

If he hadn't poofed from the scene, Kakashi was sure he'd get a couple of stab wounds and he wasn't looking forward to give Tsunade a visit. Instead of getting a treatment, he'd probably get an hour long lecture by her for wasting her time and being a pain in the butt.

Kakashi was bored. He'd already visited Obito that morning, and usually he'll go straight to train with his team. He would take up missions but Tsunade didn't permit him taking any for the moment. He (reluctantly) accepted her descision. He wasn't in the mood to train by himself either. Shockingly, even Icha Icha Paradise couldn't attract his attention.

'Should I ask Gai for another battle? Nah...'

He was standing near the Hokage monument, looking over Konoha, sighing.

"I need a new hobby"

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Several knocks came to Iruka's door.

"Hai.. Wait a sec.. Hi.. Anko-san?"

"Hey there Iruka! May I come in?"

He let Anko in, with a puzzled expression.

"Weeelll... Watcha doin'? Sleepin'?" Anko asked, giving Iruka her trademark manical grin.

Iruka just scratched the back of his head and chuckled lightly.

"Aaa, nothing really, just updating the lesson plans... Whay the sudden visit, if I may ask, Anko-san?" Iruka asked, it is true that he was quite... suprised when he saw her at his door. They usually meet at the mission report room.

"Hey! Don't '-san' me Iru-chan! You're making me feel old! And I'm the same age as you, ya know? Yeah, I didn't catch you on Friday, was gonna tell you about my party next Saturday night!"

"Oh... really.. well.."

"DON'T say no! I want you there this time! Please... We knew each other since we were kids right? So pleaseeeeee be theree..."

"I dunno.. I don't feel comfortable at parties..."

Anko just pouted, "Please, do me a favour and be there! There are some girls looking forward to see you there you know.. You've got quite a fanclub, and Kakashi's only a bit bigger than yours"

"I didn't need to know that... you're making me more scared..."

"Hey! I'll make sure they're not rabid, the rabids will get sorted out by Gai... if he survives them" Anko said with a nervous tone in her voice.

Iruka and Anko imagined Gai handling them. They both shuddered. The poor man will need some pretty serious treatment if he handled them wrong. And to think of it, rabid ninja fangirls? Things will get very,very bad...

"Um, how did you convince Gai to do that?"

"Easy, tell him I'd set him up for someone"

Iruka sweatdropped, wondering who the 'lucky' woman who'd get showered with his way too enthusiastic love. 'Wow, that's really a cruel thought... What's happening to me?'

Iruka was spacing out again and only snapped out of it when Anko shook him (quite violently) and got laughed at. For a grown woman Anko sure is childish, and she hates kids. Odd.

Straightening up, Anko waved at Iruka and moved near the window. "So! I'll see ya there Ruru-chan!"

Anko jumped out the window before Iruka said anything.

He sighed, "Man... I hate it when she does that..."

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Um, this is such a short chapter, for me I guess. I'll finish chapter 3 whenever I can and I'll post it later...

Matta ne, minna-san

REVIEW NO JUTSU!


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